<p>@Makennacompton, I think this used to be the case. However, time marches on. I just checked; there are now 57 member schools at the Gatewaytoprepschools.com site, including many of the leading prep schools. Andover, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Concord Academy, St. Mark’s, Groton, Berkshire, St. Paul’s, (etc.) They’re all on the Gateway to Prep Schools, and all the applications can be completed through the same portal.</p>
<p>The content of Gateway’s recommendation forms are identical to Exeter’s forms. </p>
<p>I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s preferable to give your teachers the link to one (1) recommendation form to fill out (the Gateway to prep schools form) with instructions to file the identical (!) form separately on the Exeter online application, than to give a teacher multiple links to multiple forms.</p>
<p>Realistically, all Exeter could conclude from the use of the Gateway form is that you’re also applying to one or more of 57 other boarding schools. Exeter does not seem to care if you’ve applied elsewhere. (In my opinion.)</p>